It took me seventeen years
to understand
what they meant
when they said
That the monsters don't live
under beds.

you.
your name
your existence
your spirit
your past
your present
your future
your thoughts
your dreams
your everything
its you.

the king
gave you
this puzzle
called life

and you,  jester,
rose to the occasion.

instead of figuring everything out,
you played around
— which meant
all rules you bent,
all instructions swayed,
all directions detoured,
everything but the puzzle was solved.

but irregardless,
the king was delighted
in your efforts
to make the court laugh
and in the end,
he gave you the key

and you threw it away
with glee.